The NBA’s exclusive media rights negotiating window with current TV partners Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery is “likely to expire Monday without a new deal,” according to sources. Beginning next week, the NBA will be “able to work on agreements for new partners to show packages of games.” Amazon, Apple, YouTube TV, Comcast’s NBCUniversal/Peacock and Netflix have all had “preliminary conversations” with the league expressing potential interest. Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery “both continue to work on terms with the league,” but the NBA wants a “robust” streaming partner that will use "marketing and reach to make the games a priority on their platform.” Discussions with the incumbents are “more complicated because of the likely addition of a third party,” as both Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery “aren’t eager to lose the rights they already have.” The league is “looking for a large increase in fees,” and neither company wants to “carry the full burden of paying significantly more for what they already have” (CNBC.com, 4/18).

Utah NHL franchise owner Ryan Smith said yesterday that his team "sold more than 11,000 season ticket deposits" in their first few hours on the market. The unnamed Utah team already has a website, NHLinUtah.com, on which it is now selling season ticket deposits for $100 per seat. The Utah franchise will begin play in the 2024–25 season at the Delta Center, which will seat 12,000 fans -- "including some with obstructed views" -- in its temporary hockey configuration. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said yesterday that renovations "are expected within two seasons to increase the hockey capacity" at Delta Center to 17,000 (DAILY FACEOFF, 4/18).

RELATED: NHL establishes Utah franchise, deactivates Coyotes

The Lions unveiled their new uniforms at an evening event for season-ticket holders at Ford Field, with current players modeling them for more than 5,000 fans in attendance. The uniforms borrow "heavily" from the Lions' early 1990s look, with the points of emphasis including "tweaks to the presentation of the team's color scheme, a reworking of the number font, sharpening the contrast of the numbers and nameplates, and streamlining the overall appearance, including cleaner striping on the sleeves." The "more drastic changes" were reserved for the team's alternates. The all-gray "Color Rush'' uniforms are "out," replaced by a black jersey and pants combo, which will be paired with the blue helmets the team released a year earlier (DETROIT NEWS, 4/18).

The Lions will have four jerseys for the 2024 season: An updated white road jersey with blue block lettering and blue and silver stripes on the sleeves; a "redefined" Honolulu blue home jersey with white numbers and silver and white stripes on the sleeve; a new black jersey with blue numbers and blue and silver stripes; and their traditional plain blue and silver throwback jerseys. All three new jerseys "can be worn with multiple pant combinations" and have an inside blue collar to "symbolize Detroit’s blue-collar ethos" and a second inscribed ode to the city. The city’s area code, "313," is written on the inside collar of the white jerseys, "Motor City" is on the inside collar of the black jerseys and the team’s "One Pride" slogan is inside the blue jerseys (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/18).

One of the three helmets the Texans will use in 2024 "slipped out" on social media yesterday, and Texans owner Cal McNair "confirmed the logo with a photo of him wearing a cap with the logo emblazoned on it." The helmet "appears to be Deep Steel Blue with a light blue 'H' for 'H-Town' as the main logo." The color of the "H" would "best be described as 'H-Town Blue,'" which is "something the Texans have talked a lot" about with the new uniforms. The "H," which is outlined in red, "obviously gives some Houston Oilers' Luv Ya Blue vibes without treading on" the Titans' intellectual property (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/18).

Late Padres owner Peter Seidler became the "first person ever honored as Mr. San Diego posthumously" yesterday by the San Diego Rotary Club at an awards luncheon held at Liberty Station. The honor is given annually to "a living person not now in government elective office, who has contributed outstanding community betterment" to San Diego through a long period of time. Seidler was selected as the 2023 recipient "before his death," and he and the club tentatively set a luncheon date for last fall. Seidler joins a list of "impactful San Diegans" honored since 1952, and "just a few" -- former boxer Archie Moore, team owners Bob Breitbard and C. Arnholt Smith and broadcaster Jerry Coleman -- were connected to sports. Padres manager Mike Shildt and P Joe Musgrove were among those who spoke about Seidler "in front of an audience of about 200 Rotarians and guests" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/18).

With Pearl Jam releasing its 12th studio album at midnight yesterday, MLB is working with the rock band on a cross-promotion campaign that will feature in-park, broadcast and social activations around the debut of “Dark Matter.” MLB Network produced customized sizzle reels of each teams’ season highlights, set to Pearl Jam’s new single, “Running,” that clubs will use for scoreboard content and on their social platforms. A 60-second promo featuring the new song and highlights from across the league will be featured on MLB platforms and MLBN over the weekend. 

 

Netflix posted its "best start to the year since 2020, attracting more new customers than anyone expected" thanks to a "strong slate of original programs and a crackdown on password sharing." The company added 9.33 million customers in the first quarter of 2024, "nearly doubling" the 4.84 million average of analysts' estimates. Netflix attracted new customers "from all over the world, showing particular strength" in the U.S. and Canada. But the company said to investors yesterday that subscriber gains "will be lower this period," while revenue "will increase" 16%. Netflix also said it will "stop reporting paid quarterly membership and revenue per subscriber," starting with the first quarter of 2025 (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/19).

The IRONMAN Group is looking for an SVP/EVP Global Partnerships. The Tampa-based position is responsible for the leadership of the Global Partnership team, partnership management and sales efforts of the company (The IRONMAN Group).

WME Sports is looking for a Legal & Business Affairs Executive. The N.Y.-based position is responsible for advising internally on business and legal issues and reviewing, redlining and negotiating a high volume of contracts under tight deadlines, including endorsement, appearance, license and other image-rights and personal-service agreements, among other duties (WME Sports).

Yunus Sports Hub is looking for a Chief Commercial Officer. The position with the France-based company is responsible for playing a key role in the development of YSH and the global social business movement (Yunus Sports Hub).

Yahoo Sports is looking for a Senior Dir of Design. The remote position is responsible for spearheading the company's design strategy by championing user interface and user experience across web product and mobile applications on iOS and Android (Yahoo Sports).

Ticketmaster is looking for a Dir of Sports Business Development (Europe). The remote position based out of Spain is responsible for working with the company's international team and local sales teams to drive growth in sports, creating the approach to commercial strategy and working with the company's Product and Technology teams to shape the offering across multiple markets (Ticketmaster).

Austin FC is looking for a Dir of Social Media. The Austin-based position is responsible for the development, management and execution of the club's social media content and platform strategy (Austin FC).

To have your job postings included in “Roster Spots" -- a feature in Morning Buzz on Fridays -- please send information to ogreen@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

The WNBA Washington Mystics officially announced they will move their first game against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever to the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena due to "unprecedented demand" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/18).

Rugby Football Club L.A. has signed a multiyear agreement with Chatime Global, making the Bubble tea company the new front-of-jersey sponsor for the team (RFCLA).

A Jefferson County Judge "denied a request for a temporary injunction" requested by Zedan Racing Stables to allow their Bob Baffert-trained horse, Muth, to compete in the Kentucky Derby (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 4/18).

Amid all the talk of giving women's sports a greater spotlight, GOLF DIGEST goes with the header, "Are Nelly Korda and LPGA Tour ready for their closeup?" The LPGA's first major of the year began yesterday "amid an unprecedented run of women's sports growth." New Indiana Fever G Caitlin Clark "spearheaded the moment," but the growth "goes beyond Clark's uber-stardom." The WNBA's 2023 campaign had its most-watched season in 20 years. The NWSL had a 26% increase in fan attendance in 2023. The USWNT's first-round matchup at the 2023 Women's World Cup last July had a 99% increase in viewership from the team's opening match in 2019. The LPGA now "has its chance at an emerging superstar potentially taking it to another level in ratings and interest." Nelly Korda's attempt at a fifth straight LPGA win "collides with a network audience on the weekend" watching the first major of the women’s season, the Chevron Championship, on NBC. Are the LPGA and Korda "ready for what that victory could mean?"

Also:

• It’s Nelly Korda time. How far can she take the LPGA?
• It's not just a patch: NBA selling out its LGBTQ referees with puzzling sponsorship deal.
• How long will Detroit Pistons stay in the weeds? That's up to Tom Gores, and a little luck.
• Will the French Olympic team be best dressed at the Opening Ceremony?
• She went from selling hats to running the whole store: Meet new WooSox GM Brooke Cooper.

FYI we are also an inactive franchise, ready and willing to be reactivated.

— Montreal Expos (@Montreal_Expos) April 19, 2024

Not sure if this is out there, but Smith Entertainment Group has hired Doubleday & Cartwright, who has handled branding for numerous pro teams, to work on name/logo for new Utah NHL team

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 18, 2024

.@Lenovo's latest @F1 innovation is a circular trophy meant to resemble a laurel wreath that has sensors that trigger it to light up when the winning driver lifts it above their head or wears it around their neck.

🔲 The trophy will be used for this weekend's #ChineseGP. pic.twitter.com/GtBKbt1RxT

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 18, 2024

"Until Alabama became the 22nd state, this one was first alphabetically."

"What is Connecticut?"